Second Chances
by KWillows
Summary: Sequel to Headliner. Normalcy was never in the cards for Sara. Is the past destined to repeat itself? And can Nick find the strength to deal with change? Snickers
1. Matters of the Mind

**Author's Note: This story is the sequel to "Headliner." It is a Snickers piece which also contains some YoBling!**

**Second Chances Chapter One: Matters of the Mind**

Sara tilted her head back and admired the twinkling stars in the night sky. She tried to remember the scientific reason they twinkled, but the answer wouldn't come; she was too preoccupied. In the distance, Grissom mumbled something about a "curious arachnid" and proceeded to jar the specimen.

She had been Sara Stokes for little over two months and was still on her mandatory probation from Nick. At Ecklie's request, the two could not work together for six months and not be alone together on a case for a year.

The air was a little chilly and she could almost feel her nose turning red. Instinctively she rubbed the end of it, nursing the warmth back. Lost in thought, she didn't hear Grissom's footsteps approach and then stop at her side.

"Gas," he said and she jumped slightly.

"What?"

He pointed to the lights in the sky. "Stars are just gasses and the light reaches our eyes at different times. That's why they twinkle."

"Okay," she said, a bit worried that her boss could read her mind.

"You were talking about it earlier. Well, that and your probation. I just figured I'd give you my insight."

"Oh, I didn't realize I said that out loud. Thanks, though."

He set down his bug jar—something she never thought she'd see—and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Sara? You seem bothered by something."

"I'm fine," she said and turned back to the scene. "I just needed a little break."

"Alright, but you know where I am if you want to talk."

She nodded. His comment left her perplexed for the rest of the evening. Grissom had never been one to talk about his feelings with anyone, except maybe Catherine, and here he was caring about what_ her _of all people thought. Of course Catherine's increasingly serious infatuation with Warrick had kept her out of his office for many months now, so perhaps he was just looking for compensation. Whatever the reason, Sara was glad he was available because she'd soon need to talk, but first had to figure out things in her own head.

* * *

Nick scoured the perimeter of the ranch-style house. The gardens were well-kept and both cars freshly washed and waxed. Truthfully, he wasn't looking for much. The crime had taken place indoors and the major search areas had been covered. He had just pulled a mint from his pocked at popped it into his mouth when Warrick drove up in a black Denali.

"Hey, man, you getting ready for Sara?" he shouted out his car window.

Nick grinned and waited for his friend to walk over.

"How's married life treating you?" Warrick asked.

"It's not much different than it was before," Nick responded.

"Maybe not, but now you don't have a teenager to look after. How's Alexis anyway?"

"She's doing great. She comes by the house every chance she gets and marks on our calendar when we have to be at her shows…and I'd watch yourself. If she hasn't lost your number, she's going to rope you in for a show or two."

"That's fine by me. I'm always happy to support the arts."

"Yeah," said Nick, "sure. So how is Catherine?"

Warrick laughed and gestured to the house. "Why don't you just ask her? She's inside, right?"

"I tried and she about bit my head off. She told me that she doesn't ask me about my love life, so I shouldn't ask about hers."

"You know she talks to Sara."

Nick nodded. "Exactly, so I came to you."

Warrick chuckled.

* * *

Sara rifled through the evidence box in search of the swabs to send to DNA. She had just gathered the tubes in her hands when she heard the familiar jingle of her cell phone. She dropped everything back on the table and flipped open her phone.

"Sidle."

"Habit?" the voice said.

"Excuse me?"

"You said Sidle; you're a Stokes."

"Why Alexis Stokes, you are hilarious."

The girl giggled and Sara pictured her as a bubbly eight-year-old.

"So, Mom, how are you?"

"Oh pretty good. You?"

"Fine. Although Mike is being a jerk. He expects me to call him every five minutes. And he won't even come to my shows; can you believe it? So I told him…"

"Lex."

"…if he wants to date me, he's going to have to start…"

"Lexi."

"…showing he cares about me. Because you know, I could have so many other guys if I really wanted to. And you know what he does next?"

"Alexis!"

"What?"

"I'm pregnant," Sara said and breathed out.

"You're what? Pregnant?"

"Yes."

"Does Dad know?"

"Not exactly."

"Uh oh," Alexis whispered.

"What?"

"You're not going to run, are you?"

Sara sat in a chair. "Now what would make you think that?"

"Your past track record."

"Alexis Nicole Stokes, I didn't run. I just went on with life."

"You are going to tell him, right? He's going to find out eventually, like when you look like you've swallowed a watermelon."

"Thanks for the congratulations. Yes, I'm going to tell him."

"Good. Oh, and I think you should name her something cute like Lola."

"Lola?" Sara asked.

"Yeah. Lola."

"Isn't that what you wanted to name your cat when you were ten?"

"Yep," said Lexi, "but I've changed my views in the nine years since. A cat would be nice, but I'd have to take care of it all the time. A baby sister I can play with, and when I get bored I can just give her back."

"I'm glad I can provide you with toys."

"Me too. You're the best, Mom."

"I know. I'll talk to you later," Sara said.

"Okay, but talk to Dad. I've got to go call Mike back and scold him for being unsupportive," she sighed.

"I love you."

"Love you too; bye."

Sara hung up, slipped her phone back in her pocket, and went back to her swabs. She found work to be an excellent distraction and only had to excuse herself once when a lab tech spilled something very aromatic and nauseating. When she sat in the seat of the car next to Nick as he drove home with his hand on her knee, she couldn't help but wonder how long she could wait to tell him about his impending fatherhood and how she was going to be a parent for the second time.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: Suspicions raise regarding Sara's health and a box brings back an old memory.**


	2. Here Comes the Man in Black

**This would've been up sooner, but the site was having problems. Enjoy. **

**Second Chances Chapter Two: Here Comes the Man in Black**

If there was one thing Alexis Stokes hated, it was watching musicals on television. It was bad enough watching regular movies when they cut out parts, but she absolutely couldn't stand it when pieces of songs were missing. This was why she almost hadn't bought the cable to go with the TV. When it had come time to furnish her one bedroom apartment, it had been relatively cheap. Most of her things were what Sara had put into storage when she moved in with Nick.

As the brunette sat on the old couch, she remembered parts of her childhood. One morning when Sara had come home from a busy day at work in San Francisco, she found Lexi asleep on the couch. Sara tiptoed around to fetch a blanket, but the eight-year-old girl woke up anyway. They sat together and Alexis draped the blanket over both of their laps.

"Mama," she'd said, "when I grow up I want to be a butterfly. One that has bright blue wings and dances across the sky."

The comment had obviously taken Sara by surprise and it took her a moment to form a response. "Silly girl," she said, "if you were a butterfly you'd fly away and I'd miss you so much I'd cry. You wouldn't want that; would you?"

The girl considered it and answered, "No, I guess not. Can I be a puppy then?"

Sara smiled at her daughter. "You'll be the best puppy of all." She proceeded to tickle the child and both lit up at the sound of the endless giggles.

Lexi grabbed the rubber band from around her wrist and tied it around her hair. She had been meaning to go for a haircut, but constant play rehearsals kept her from much else. The clock told her it was just after midnight and she got up to get the phone. It had been a full twenty-four hours since she talked to anyone in her family and she felt the need to not let it go on another minute. She punched the second speed dial and smiled at the sound of her father's voice on the other end.

"Hey, Lexi. I haven't heard from you in awhile."

"Sorry, Dad. I've been really busy. I talked to Mom yesterday; didn't she tell you?"

"No, we haven't been talking too much lately. I think something's bothering her. She didn't by any chance tell you what it was, did she?"

Lexi scowled as if her mother was right there. She crossed her fingers behind her back. "Nope, sorry. I'll ask her later and get back to you."

"Okay, sweetheart. Did you call for a reason?"

Alexis wasn't sure what to say. She had been calling to congratulate him on the baby, but now that he still didn't know, she had to make up something and fast. "Yeah, uh, I'm thinking about moving out of this apartment." She heard him shuffling things in the background.

"Why are you doing that?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm just lonely, I guess. I haven't really been by myself my whole life and going cold-turkey isn't that easy."

At the lab, Nick smiled. Even though he had only known this girl for three years, he felt like he could tell what she was thinking most times. "You know, Lex, we still have your old bedroom. Why don't you come stay with us?"

"Really? That would be great! You rock, Dad. I've got to start making plans, so tell Mom for me, okay?"

"You bet. Love you," he said and hung up the phone. He found the sheet of paper he had been looking for and took off to find Warrick. Walking through the hallway he about ran into Sara.

"Sorry," she mumbled before turning to go back the other direction.

"Hey, Sara, are you okay? You don't look so good."

"Thanks, Nick. Love you too."

"I'm serious. Are you feeling alright?" he asked taking her by the hand.

"I'm fine. It has just been a long day."

"Okay, if you're sure." He started to walk off. "Oh, Sara, Lexi is going to be staying with us for awhile. She's homesick."

"What? I just talked to her yesterday and she sounded fine."

"Sara, she's a girl. Do you have any idea how many times they change their minds?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and watched him go. She stood still for a second and got the overwhelming urge to puke. She had been fine up until she told Lexi about her "condition." It was as though letting someone know had brought it all to life. Now she could hardly take five steps without wanting to leave her stomach contents on the floor.

She got to the bathroom as fast as she could. She had brushed someone in the hallway and hoped they hadn't thought anything of her green cheeks. She made sure she was alone before letting go. After taking a drink from the sink and washing her hands, she pushed open the door. Greg sat on the floor across the hall, waiting for her.

"You okay?" he asked. His hair was surprisingly mellow and he was dressed in a black suit.

"All you need is a pair of black sunglasses and you could work for Will Smith," she said avoiding the question.

"That's me," he replied, "CSI's MIB. Now answer me."

"I'm fine, Greg."

"How long have we known each other, Sara? Awhile, I think. Almost a decade, even. I think I know you well enough to know when you're lying to me."

"Greg, it has been a long week. I'm tired and I just found out my daughter is going to be moving back home. I need to clean up before she gets there, so I'm just waiting until Grissom lets me leave."

"Look, I can sense that you don't want to talk about whatever it is, so I'll let you go, but know that Greg is always here for you."

She raised her eyebrows at his use of third person. "Thanks, Greg. Sara is very grateful."

He chuckled as he walked off and she turned to go back into the restroom.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: A door closes on a relationship and Sara discovers an insecurity.**

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**CSIFan4Life, lovestoact, MollyMKS, Grace124, nickysbabygirl, jdcocoagirl, and bauerfreak, thanks so much for reviewing. You guys are awesome. A special thanks to blythDandelion, who gave me a good dose of insight. Thanks again. Please review.****  
**


	3. There Goes my Life

**Second Chances #3**

**There Goes my Life**

"Our butterfly is coming back," Sara said when Nick got home that morning. His shift had almost been a double, so Greg dropped her off. Luckily, he hadn't asked any questions.

"What?" asked Nick.

She explained to him the story of Lexi becoming a butterfly. "And she didn't turn out to be a puppy after all. She's a butterfly and now she's coming home."

"That makes you happy; doesn't it?" Nick asked wrapping his arms around her.

"Yeah," she said, "it does. I was a little worried at first about how we were going to clear all of the junk out of her room, but when it hit me that we were going to have our little girl around again, it all made it worth it."

He pointed to the mounds of stuff all over the living room. "I see you got a start on the excavating."

"Well, actually, none of this is from her room. I got this crazy idea that we should just clean out our whole house and I started with the spare bedroom."

Nick walked over and set his keys in the leaf dish. "Why would you clean that room out? Are we having company?"

"Well, no, but you never know when your parents might drop by unannounced or something."

"In that case," he said picking up a pile of old sports posters, "I'll help."

An hour later they were still sifting through years of collectibles and Sara was beginning to feel woozy. She was hoping she could hold it in; she hadn't yet come up with a way to inform on the new direction their lives were taking. Five minutes later she could contain it no more and dropped a bunch of clothes on the floor. She maneuvered her way through the mess and quickly found the restroom.

Nick opened the door after a minute and saw her sitting on the ground, face covered in sweat. He moved to her side and took her in his arms. "I knew you weren't okay," he said as he carried her to the couch. "I'm going to have to put you down."

Her feet touched the carpet and she watched as he shoved items off the couch. He patted the cushion and the two sat on the leather.

"You want to tell me what's bothering you?" he asked.

She sighed. The moment of truth had finally arrived. "I'm forty years old, Nick."

He chuckled. "Yeah, and I'm a year older."

"Things like this aren't supposed to happen to people our age."

He was beginning to get worried. "What's going on, Sara?"

"Lexi isn't an only child," she said.

"Wait, so you had twins? And you're just telling me now? Sara, why would you—?"

"Nick, that's not it. I'm pregnant."

He stood up and brushed his hand through his hair. "Wait, what? How?"

She arched her brow and he nodded.

"Okay, I know _how_, but when?" He sat back down.

"The doctor says I'm about four weeks along."

"You've known for a month and didn't say anything?" His temper was rising.

"Nick, I didn't tell anyone except Lexi, and that was just last night."

"You told Lexi? You told a nineteen-year-old girl and not your forty-one-year-old husband?"

"Nick, she's my daughter."

"I understand that. And she'll be a great big sister. But think about it, I'm going to be the one sitting beside you at night when the baby is crying. I'm the one who will do the extra laundry when you're so tired you can hardly stand. It makes perfect _sense _that I would know first."

"I'm sorry. I was nervous. I hadn't told anybody and it was getting to me. Lexi called and it just spilled out. You're right, I should've told you first. I was a little afraid of your reaction." She tried to cover his hand with hers, but he pushed it away.

"Sara," he said tensely, "what is there to be afraid of? Did you think I was going to leave you? We've been over this before; gosh, I can't believe we've been over this before. Had you called me, I would've been there for you the first time. I'm not going to run out the second. I'm not suddenly this big terrible man that hates women and babies. You've got to learn to trust me."

She brushed a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry. Part of me knows that you will do anything and everything that I ask of you."

"And the other part?" He couldn't believe it. The woman he'd loved for more than three years, and respected for almost ten, was second guessing their relationship. He knew all about her tortured past, but he thought she had gotten over it.

"The other part of me says that I've done most everything alone for my whole life. I don't know how to do things with people."

He handed her a tissue and looked at the wall. "We're married now, Sara. This kind of thing is understandable when you are just dating. You're trying to find out if the other person is good for you. It has always been my impression that when people get married, they know that they'll be doing things with someone."

"I'm sorry," she choked out.

"Don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm going to stop now, before I say something I'll regret, but know that this isn't over."

She nodded and they fell into a rigid silence. Sara managed to regain her composure and waited for Nick to say something. She had already caused one argument, and wasn't hankering for another one. After a moment, he turned to face her.

"Okay, alright, I can handle this," he gestured to the both of them, "we can handle this. Can we handle this?"

"We're going to have to," she responded.

"I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing," he said. "I've never been a father. Well, I've been a father, but I didn't actually do much until she was sixteen, you know. By that time she could take care of herself."

"Relax. I have done this before. Granted I was about twenty years younger, but I'm sure I've still got all my books. We'll make it."

"How are you so calm?" he asked. He had begun pacing. "A few minutes ago you were crying that stuff like this doesn't happen to people our age."

"I don't know," she said and for the first time in awhile she smiled an honest smile. "I've been so stressed about how I was going to tell you and now that I have, I feel better. It's hard to explain. I know that I've got you, and Lexi of course, and once everyone at the lab finds out we're going to have an outpouring of help. It just makes me, I don't know, calm."

He sat on the couch again and pulled her towards him. "You're going to have a lot to teach me."

"Believe me; this kid is going to teach us both a lot."

* * *

Nick wanted her to stay home; she had thrown up so much that day that he thought for sure her energy would be spent. Sara was being Sara and pulled on her jeans; she was going whether he wanted her to or not. 

"Nick," she said, "I have a job to do. Our lives depend on having two incomes, and with the addition of two new people in the house, we need as much as we can get."

His knees went weak and he plopped on the bed. "Two? You're having twins?"

"What is with you and twins?" she asked. "Lexi is moving back in, remember?"

"Right, Lexi, my daughter."

Sara laced up her shoes. "Nick, maybe you're the one that should stay home."

He chucked a balled up sock her direction and they laughed.

* * *

Alexis put on her tennis shoes and gently massaged her calves. Out of all her performing skills, dancing was the only one she had to work particularly hard at. She was shoving her flats into her bag when the director walked up. 

"Alexis," Mr. Maynard, a man of twenty-eight who was already graying at the base of his neck, said, "good work today. You've almost got that last formation down. We'll work on it next time and then I think we're ready to go through the whole show."

"Okay. See you tomorrow." She zipped up her black bag, emblazoned with the crime lab logo and pushed open the medal door. Stepping into the night her face fell. "Mike, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk," he said.

"I said all I needed to say," she replied walking down the street, "There's nothing to talk about."

"See, I don't agree with that. Lexi, I was drunk last night; I didn't mean what I said."

"That's really great, Mike. That's your excuse for everything, isn't it? "I was drunk." Well, I'm sick of it. I need someone who can be there for me and say what he means. That person is, apparently, not you."

"Lex, I love you. We can work through this."

She sat on the bench at the bus stop and scoffed. "We've been dating two-and-a-half months. You don't love me."

"I like you a lot. That's got to count for something."

"That's the thing, Mike; it doesn't. Not anymore." The bus pulled alongside the curb and opened the doors. "Please don't call me anymore." She climbed aboard and stared out the window.

Mike stood with his hands in his pockets and watched as the bus drove away. She waved at the last moment and he returned the gesture.

"This is better," she said to herself, "It's better for both of us."

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: People are looking out for Sara, but will they find out the truth?  
**

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**Jdcocoagirl, don't worry; Sara will most likely stick it out. Thanks to all of my reviewers. You make me smile. Please let me know what you thought.**


	4. Unsaid Things

**Second Chances #4**

**Unsaid Things**

Nick shut off the ignition when they reached the parking lot. "So what's the game plan?" he asked his wife.

"I figure we'll keep it quiet as long as possible. That doesn't mean we need to lie, though. If someone starts asking questions, we'll answer them."

"I bet Greg finds out first."

She smiled. "It wouldn't surprise me."

Nick grabbed his sunglasses from the visor and slipped them into his jacket pocket. Warrick was coming out the doorway and that probably meant they were going back to the crime scene. The man greeted Sara before she went inside.

"Yo, man, you up for a drive?" Warrick asked.

"Everyday," Nick replied.

"Good. We'll use my car."

"I knew you were going to say that."

Sara headed to Grissom's office and was pleased to see he was actually there. Catherine sat in front of his desk. They both turned to look when she opened the door.

"Sara," Grissom said, "come in. Catherine is going to be joining us on our case. She says the boys have the other one handled."

"Sounds fine to me," Sara responded.

"So where are you on this whole thing?" Catherine asked.

"I've almost finished the bug timeline, but that isn't going to give us much. I need you two to return to the crime scene and make sure we haven't missed anything," Grissom said.

The two females left the room and exited the building. "Do you want to drive?" Catherine asked.

Sara wanted to say yes, but she knew that her sickness was unpredictable and she didn't want to cause an accident by vomiting. "No, you can."

They entered the Denali and Catherine's first instinct was to turn the heat on. "It's chilly tonight," she said.

"Yeah," Sara agreed.

"So where exactly is this place?"

* * *

Nick and Warrick arrived at the scene to find that Greg had beaten them there. The young man sat on the stoop drinking a cup of coffee, no doubt his famous Blue Hawaiian. 

"Hey Nick," he said when he saw them move up the driveway, "how is Sara feeling?"

"Fine," the Texan answered. He was certain Greg would know by the end of the day. "Where should we start?"

"Let's take the inside first; that's where the main evidence is," Warrick said.

* * *

"Okay," said Catherine, "what are we looking for?" 

"The body was found in between those trees with a .45 caliber gun about three feet away. Grissom thinks we missed something under all the leaves."

"He didn't say anything specific?"

"Nope. Just that we'd know when we find it," Sara said.

They walked up the hill slowly, carefully looking before they took each step. Catherine snapped on her gloves as they neared the sight and began to crouch down. She covered her nose with her arm.

"Wow, you can still smell it. How long ago were you guys out here?"

Sara scanned the line of trees. "About four days ago, I think. There's no reason for it to smell like this."

Catherine stood as if something had just caught her eye. "I think I found your reason." She pointed to a tree a few yards off. A body hung from one of its lower branches. "Tell me that wasn't here all this time."

"It couldn't have been," Sara said. She tried to plug her nose, but it was too late; her brain had fully recorded the scent. She scurried down the hill and made it to the car before heaving all over the road.

Catherine was at her side not long after and handed her friend a water bottle from the car. "Did you eat something funny? I've never known you to throw up from a smell."

Sara swished the water around her mouth and spit it on the ground. "That must be it. Nick cooked this morning and sometimes he makes it spicier than my stomach can handle."

Catherine put a hand to Sara's forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever. Do you think you can handle processing?"

"I'll be fine in a few minutes. You go along ahead. I'll call it in."

"See you up the hill." The earth was moist and Catherine wished she hadn't worn the stiletto heels. As she got higher she wished she hadn't bought them in the first place.

Sara flipped open her phone and dialed dispatch to inform them of the new body. Her next call was to Grissom. "Hey, Griss…No, we didn't find any new evidence, but we found another body…Catherine's up checking it out right now…Yeah, I already called it in…Okay, we'll wait for him." She clicked off, took another drink of the water, and began to climb the hill.

Catherine was circling the body, but not touching it because the coroner had not yet arrived. "You call it in?" she asked.

"Yeah. Dispatch is sending some uniforms and Grissom is sending Greg."

"Alright. Well, we might as well keep looking for things in the old scene. We don't need David's clearance for that."

With gloves on, the girls examined piles of leaves to insure there was nothing hiding underneath. They were only a quarter of the way through and had discovered nothing when Greg came up.

"How's it going, ladies?"

"Not so well," Sara said, "Grissom wants us to find something, but we don't know what."

"That's Grissom for you," said Catherine.

"Well, now that I've come to your rescue we will finish twice as fast," Greg said and grinned.

Catherine chuckled and went back to processing. Sara moved on to an area opposite her and Greg followed.

He got close and said in a low whisper, "Sara, are you feeling okay? It looked like someone lost their stomach contents in the road back there."

She groaned. "I can't believe I didn't wash that up."

"Don't worry," he said, "I did. What happened?"

"Nothing," she replied, "I've just been a little under the weather. I told you that yesterday."

"No, you said you were tired and had to clean. There's a difference."

"Well today," she added, "I have Nick's cooking as well. The man likes his spicy foods."

"I'll have to reprimand him for that," Greg said before heading off to examine the seemingly endless cover of leaves.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: Someone finds out about Sara's secret and a person from the past makes a return.  
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**Thanks for all the reviews. You guys are awesome and really know how to make my day. Nick fan and CSIFan4Life, you were right; Mike will make another appearance or so. Please let me know what you thought.  
**


	5. Your Guardian Angel

**Thanks to jdcocoagirl, CSIFan4Life, bauerfreak, katydid13, and nickysbabygirl for reviewing. You guys are my favorites.**

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**Second Chances Chapter Five: Your Guardian Angel**

Lexi's cell-phone jingled at two o'clock that morning. She flailed around trying to find the lamp she kept by her bed. She grabbed her phone just before it stopped ringing.

"Hello?" she said groggily.

"Did I wake you?" her mother asked.

"Yes, but that's okay. I was going to call you tonight, but I was so tired."

"That's okay. I have good news for you; I told your father."

The girl seemed to forget her fatigue. "You did? That's great. How'd he take it?"

"He was furious that I told you first. That was a poor decision on my part. We calmed down a bit and I think he's much more open to the idea. It's his chance to watch someone grow up. He missed that with you."

"He told you I was going back home, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. I'm glad. It'll be nice having you there. We miss you."

"I miss you too. Listen, if Mike calls the house looking for me, you haven't seen me. Or better yet, you have no idea who he's talking about."

"Things didn't work out with you two?" Sara asked.

"Not really. He's too selfish for me and it has gotten to the point where he's blaming all his actions on alcohol. Definitely not someone I want to be around."

"Good choice, honey."

"How are you feeling?" asked Alexis.

"I've lost count of how many times people have asked me that lately. If it isn't your father, it's Greg or Catherine."

"And what do you tell them?"

"That I'm fine. Everything that's going on is to be expected. I know that."

"Yeah, but do they?"

"What?"

Lexi grabbed a hair tie and quickly threw her hair into a messy bun. "Have you told anyone other than Dad about the baby?"

"No."

"So why do they think you're throwing up every time you turn around?"

"Your Dad's cooking."

Lexi couldn't help but giggling. "He's not going to like that excuse."

"Well, he's going to have to live with it; isn't he?"

"I guess so."

"Lex, I'm going to let you get back to your sleep. I just wanted to let you know that I'm not walking away from the whole baby thing."

"Thanks," her daughter said, "I really appreciate it."

Sara clicked the phone off. She took a swig of a water bottle and poured the rest onto the ground. She was going to cover her tracks this time. Catherine was taking slow, uneven steps down the hill in her shoes, so Sara threw the bottle into the backseat of the car and climbed into the passenger side. The blonde tore a paper towel from a roll she kept under the seat and did her best to clean the soles of her shoes.

"Remind me of this," she said, "next time I decide to wear heels to a crime scene."

"Will it stop you?" Sara asked.

"Probably not, but at least then I can't blame you for not warning me."

"I'll keep that in mind." She buckled her seatbelt and quieted as Catherine started the car and maneuvered onto the road.

"I have a feeling we're going to be going back there for many days," Catherine stated.

"I don't doubt it. Let's just hope we find no other bodies."

"Hear, hear. While we're around here, would you like a soda or something?"

Sara put a hand on her stomach without realizing it. "Oh, um, no thanks."

Catherine smiled. "Are you sure? Sprite doesn't have any caffeine."

"What makes you think I'm declining because of caffeine?" She sucked in air.

"Well we drink so much all day long and it's bound to have an effect on our health eventually. I'm going to have a Sprite."

Sara breathed out slowly. "If you're going to have one, I might as well."

"Good decision." She drove up to a McDonald's and ordered two medium Sprites. Sara rifled through her pocket for money, but Catherine held up a hand. "Oh, don't. I can certainly spend a dollar on you."

Sara smiled appreciatively. "Thanks."

They pulled away and Sara recognized Catherine's drumming on the steering wheel. It was her signal that she had something to say, but knew it was probably none of her business.

A minute later she couldn't stand it anymore. "Okay, Cath, just say it."

"Really?" Sara nodded. "Good. I was about to burst. Now that I've gotten something into your stomach, I'll tell you the real reason I thought you should have Sprite." She waited for Sara to respond, and when she didn't, Catherine continued. "When I was pregnant with Lindsey, I had morning sickness bad. And it wasn't even just in the morning. There were times when I couldn't go to work because I couldn't go ten minutes away from a bathroom. Ask Gil; I'm sure he remembers."

"What's your point, Catherine?" Sara asked edgily.

"Sprite was about the only thing that would stay down in my stomach for the first few months."

"Okay."

"I was thinking it would work for you."

"How do you do it?" Sara asked after taking a swig of her Sprite. "How do you always know exactly what is going on with me?"

"I've been there before. As different as you and I are, we're very much the same. Once you've been there, you learn to recognize the signs."

* * *

Lexi slept a few more hours before waking with the morning light. She dressed in her jogging suit and ate a quick bowl of cereal before heading out to do her daily mile. Dancing kept her in shape, but there was something about running in the morning that helped to keep her stress level down.

She took a new route today to make sure she didn't have to go past Mike's house. He hadn't called her since the bus stop, but it was only a matter of time and she didn't want to egg him on. She was home in ten minutes and found that she had missed a call. The number was one she didn't recognize, but the person had left a message, so it was probably not a telemarketer.

A smile crossed her face when she heard the name of the caller and his message. She scribbled down all of the numbers he left for her to contact him and deleted the message. She took a speedy shower and dressed in her favorite red dress. She wasn't planning on going anywhere, but this was her lucky dress. Good things always happened to her when she was wearing it and she was counting on the streak to continue.

She punched in the first number the caller had left and was pleasantly surprised to find that he answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Luke? It's Alexis."

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: Sara's secret continues to be exposed.**

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	6. My Confession

**Second Chances #6**

**My Confession**

"Alexis Sidle, I can't believe you called me back. To be honest, I wasn't sure I even had the right number," Luke said.

"I was surprised to hear from you. Gosh, we haven't talked in what, two years?"

"At least. How have you been?"

"Great, actually. My parents got married a couple months ago and I legally became Alexis Stokes. It made my father's family very happy. I've been performing shows for awhile."

"That's awesome. I always knew you were a performer. You had to be, the way you'd sneak in and out of your house and not get caught."

She laughed. "So how about you; what are you up to?"

"I got into college at UNLV and you'll never guess what I want to be."

"What?"

"Your parents."

"No! That's so cool. Oh, wait until I tell them. They'll be so happy for you."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I didn't exactly leave your family in a good way back then."

"Luke, we were what, seventeen? I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt, but I got over it and I'm sure they did too."

"Hey, Lexi, do you want to go out to eat sometime?" He seemed unsure, as if he thought she had better things to do all day than eat out with an old boyfriend.

"That sounds great. I'd love to."

"Awesome. When are you available?" She could tell he sounded suddenly more upbeat.

"Any meal except dinner. I have rehearsals every day from four until as late as midnight."

"Wow," he said, "that's dedication. How about lunch tomorrow?"

"That's perfect. Where at?"

"Do you have a car?"

"No," she said, "I'm a Las Vegas bus girl."

He chuckled. "Okay, I'll pick you up at eleven-thirty. Where do you live?"

* * *

Catherine and Sara sat in the break room talking over their growing case. Sara was able to eat, but only saltines. As a sign of support, Catherine did the same to divert any suspicion someone might have. 

Greg cam in a while later dressed in a lab jumpsuit. "I think I'm going to have to burn my clothes," he said.

"That's something we've been wanting to do for years," Sara stated jokingly.

He cast her a mock glare, but stopped when he noticed her choice snack. "Still under the weather?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "but I'm doing better."

He smiled. "And it looks like you've given it to Catherine."

The older woman ate another cracker. "That's the price you pay for not working solo."

Greg joined them at the table and soon nothing could be heard coming from the break room but laughter.

* * *

Nick pulled the sunglasses from his pocket ad slapped them onto his face. "How much longer are we going to stay out here, man?" he asked Warrick. "We must've combed over the scene at least four times." 

It was true. They had been working almost non-stop since they arrived, taking a break only to inform Greg he had somewhere else to be. It was almost seven o'clock and Nick's stomach was growling.

"Alright," said Warrick, "let's ditch this popsicle stand. I don't think there's anything left to see. How about breakfast?"

Nick couldn't say no to that.

* * *

Greg was never one to let conversation die down, and this time was no exception. Usually he just wanted company, or to hear someone laugh. This time he wanted information. They didn't call him a CSI for nothing. He knew Sara wasn't being completely truthful about the state of her health, and if that was the case, Catherine wasn't either. Both girls had been acting strange, especially over the last few days. And he, Greg Sanders, was going to get to the bottom of it. 

His chance came in the middle of a game of hangman when Sara left to go to the bathroom. He told Catherine he was checking on evidence, but in reality he was following his brunette co-worker. He reached the door and put his ear against the metal. From the inside he heard the unmistakable sound of someone puking. He took a few steps back and sat against the wall, waiting for her to come out.

When she did, she didn't look at all shocked to see him. "Greg, you never cease to amaze me," she said.

He stood up and put his arm around her. "Sara, really, what's going on?"

She sighed. "I'm sure Warrick knows by now, so there's no point in hiding it from you. I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? With a baby?"

"No, with a horse. Yes, Greg, a baby."

"Well that explains a lot," he said. "Congratulations." They began to head towards the break room. "I've just come up with the perfect name: Greg."

"And if it's a girl?"

"Gregina."

"I'll tell you what; if you can talk Nick into letting you name the baby Gregina, I'll do it."

"Seriously?" he said shocked.

"It's never going to happen. He didn't pick the name for our first kid, so I'm betting he'll want to do this one. I'm also betting it won't be Gregina."

"Oh, I don't know; I can be very persuasive. I got you to tell me why you were puking your guts out."

"That is something you deserved to know. I didn't want you rushing me off to the emergency room when I'm perfectly fine."

"I think I'm entitled to name your baby."

She wrinkled her forehead. "And why is that?"

"I'm just as much a part of your life as he is."

"I'm married to Nick."

"And that's only because Lexi showed up at our work one day. If she hadn't, who knows what would've happened. You and me, baby," he said wiggling his brows.

All she could do was laugh.

* * *

Sara was preparing to leave when her phone went off. 

"Stokes."

"Oh, what a coincidence, so is this."

Sara heard giggling. "Lexi, didn't I just talk to you five hours ago?"

"Yeah, but I have big news I wanted to share."

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

"Heavens no," the girl said. "One baby at a time is enough for this family. I have a date."

"Lex, I fail to see the excitement in this. You've had dates before."

"I know, but this was a completely unexpected date. I got home from jogging this morning and there was a message on my phone from this boy who wanted me to call him back. I did, and we're going to lunch tomorrow."

"Well," said Sara, "you better give me his name so I can tell your father and have a background check done."

"He might already have it, that is, if he keeps things from three years ago. I've been in your house; I know he does."

"Wait, three years ago? Then that would mean it's…"

"That's right," Lexi squealed, "it's Luke!"

* * *

Greg smiled as he headed out the front doors after going by the break room. He was happy for Sara, but amazed that she didn't appear to be more shaken up about it. She wasn't getting any younger. He made a mental note to buy her some saltines. 

The crackers!

His mind raced back to when he first walked in that morning. Catherine had been eating the crackers too. And if Sara wasn't sick, then Catherine wasn't sick, and if they had the same problem and Sara was pregnant, then Catherine had to be pregnant too!

He needed to talk to Warrick, and fast.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: A life-altering statement is thrust in someone's face.**

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**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. You are all superb. Let me know what you thought.**


	7. My World

**Thanks to all of my reviewers. You guys are super. I hope everyone has a merry Christmas and a happy new year!**

* * *

**Second Chances #7**

**My World**

Greg wanted to wait, he really did. He wanted to go out for breakfast, pay for both of them, and drop the ball. He had it all planned out; he knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Warrick, have you heard about Sara?"

Based on Sara's information he assumed the man had, and so he continued.

"Well, she's not the only one." Greg knew this was a rather cryptic message, but he felt he should ease into the subject.

He guessed Warrick would either be confused or make a joke about Greg being pregnant.

"Dude," he'd say as calmly as possible, "Catherine's pregnant too."

Imaginary Warrick became stunned and fell out of his seat.

Greg was going to stick to this plan—until he saw Nick and Warrick pull into the lot. The two men walked right past him and into the building. He took a few steps and sat on the curb of the fire lane.

Sara and Nick came out a few minutes later and she said good-bye before climbing into the car and driving home. Catherine exited next and didn't see Greg in the shadow of the tree.

He bit his lip. Warrick was most likely alone, thinking carefree thoughts about who was going to win the next sporting event. Greg knew it was now or never. He would've preferred never, but knew it was his duty as a friend to come clean.

Judy waved upon his entrance and he smiled back. She was the only one of the receptionists to stay this long and he was proud of her.

Warrick was pouring himself a cup of coffee when Greg found him in the break room.

"Hey, Greggo. I thought you'd be headed out by now."

"Well I was, but I needed to talk to you."

He sat in one of the silver chairs. "Shoot."

_Ready. _Greg breathed in and took a nearby seat. "Did Nick tell you about Sara?"

Warrick laughed. "Yeah, doesn't that just beat all? It's good for them, though. Nick always told me the one thing he was disappointed about was not getting to have a child. Then he found out about Lexi and changed it to not watching a child grow up."

"He gets his chance," Greg said.

"Yes he does."

_Set. _"What about you? Do you ever think about having any kids?"

"Greg, I've been around kids all my life. I've got cousins, nieces, and Lindsey. I may not have watched everything, but I see myself as her surrogate father. I'm comfortable where I am."

"What about marriage?" _Okay, so this wasn't going exactly as he'd planned, but he was all for a Plan B._

"Sometime in the future, maybe. I love Catherine, and she knows it, but we just had a wedding a few months ago with Nick and Sara and I don't want to pressure her. I think she's just as fine where she's at as I am."

_Go. _"You might want to rethink that."

Warrick had been sipping from his coffee regularly during this conversation, but at the statement from Greg, he set the cup down completely. "Why is that?"

"Catherine is pregnant."

Just like Imaginary Warrick, Real Warrick became stunned, but he managed to remain sitting. "Wait, how do you know this?" Over the years he'd come to realize that Greg sometime got his information screwed up and this wasn't a time to be mistaken.

"Sara told me."

Warrick swallowed. Greg might've been wrong, but he could trust Sara's word. The two girls seemed to talk about everything. He stood up expressionless and dumped his coffee out in the sink. "Greg, I have to go. I'll see you tonight."

Greg waved him off and left a few minutes later himself. He hoped everything would be alright with his friends.

* * *

Brown boxes cluttered the floor of Alexis Stokes's apartment. She had gained all sorts of energy after talking to Luke and decided to do something productive with her day: packing. As she went through her closets she realized one thing: she had inherited her parents' genes of being a packrat. Everything that had been in storage was in the apartment; Lexi hadn't gone through any of it. 

She pulled down a shoe box marked "CDs" from the top shelf of her hall closet and carried it to the couch. She dusted off the lid and cut the aging tape. There was a folded note lying on top of various CDs and she recognized her mother's handwriting.

_Sara, these CDs are especially good for dancing with Lexi. All of the instrumental pieces will calm her down, and the upbeat ones will guarantee a good time. _

The date on the note showed that this box had been packed since they moved to Las Vegas. At that time Sara had been very meticulous about recording exactly what everything she packed was used for. If she couldn't find a reason to keep it, they sold it or threw it away.

Lexi lifted out a Queen CD. It had been her favorite when she was about six and everyday after Sara got home from work, the two of them would dance to every song. Her mom use to call it their little stress reliever.

One day after the CD stopped and Alexis finished adding her own lyrics to the song, they laid on the floor and stared up at the ceiling.

"I want to do this forever," she said. "I want to dance and sing."

"I bet you will," Sara responded.

"Mommy, you save people, right?"

"Something like that. When something bad happens, I figure out who did it and give other people closure."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It can be." They were days like today when Sara would look at her daughter, an innocent six-year-old, and wonder how the world got to need people like her and her co-workers.

Alexis put fresh tape on the box and made a mental note to play those CDs more often. In a time when her family was constantly growing larger, it made her feel good to remember the times it was just her and her mother. They had been quite a pair, and part of her hoped that by moving home, she would get some of that closeness back.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: More memories come to the surface, and Greg gets a swat on the nose.**

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	8. It'll All Work Out

**Thanks to all of my reviewers. Have a happy new year, everyone.**

* * *

**Second Chances Chapter Eight: It'll All Work Out**

Catherine Willows was on a rampage. Three techs jumped out of her way as she pounded down the hall the next evening. Her already red-tinged hair seemed on fire with her anger. She had two people she needed to see; one was Sara, the other was Greg.

She found Sara leaving the trace lab, drinking a mug of water. The brunette's eyes widened when she felt the fierceness of Catherine's gaze.

"Sara," she said taking the younger woman by the arm, "Warrick thinks I'm pregnant."

Sara gasped and covered her mouth with her free hand.

"And do you know why he thinks that? Greg told him. Do you want to know how Greg got the idea? He says you told him."

Sara stopped. "I never told him you were pregnant. I don't spread rumors; you know that. Where did he get the idea that—oh no." She paused. "Remember yesterday how we told him you were sick too and that you had what I had? Well, when I told him I was pregnant, he must've taken that to mean you were too."

"I'll kill him," Catherine said.

"Right behind you," said Sara.

* * *

Greg was digging through cupboards, no doubt searching for his heavenly Blue Hawaiian. Warrick walked in and touched the young man on the shoulder. 

"Hey, Warrick, how'd it go this morning?"

"Terrible. I started freaking out and yelling about her not telling me and how we had to get married and if she couldn't trust me then why was she even dating me and every other insane thing on the planet."

Greg grimaced. "Ouch. What'd she say to that?"

Warrick gave an exasperated laugh. "You want to know what she said next? She stands up, tears streaming down her face, looks me in the eye and tells me she's not pregnant. The rest of the day was spent with me apologizing and her getting very, very angry at you and Sara."

"Uh oh," Greg stuttered.

"'Uh oh' is right. I'd watch your back, man. She's gonna flip when she sees you." Warrick patted him on the shoulder and left to hunt down Nick.

* * *

Greg poured himself a coup of coffee and placed it on a raspberry-shaped coaster on the table. He opened a rarely-used drawer and found a stack of white paper. He hoped that pretending to be busy would deflect some of Catherine's anger. He snatched up the sheets at the sound of rapid heel-clicking. 

"Greg," she said placing her hands on her hips, "what is something we are all taught not to do?"

Ordinarily, several answers would pour from his mouth, but Catherine's gaze was piercing his flesh and he was paralyzed.

Sara, deciding to be a spectator, grabbed a bottle of water and lowered herself into an overstuffed chair.

Greg swallowed and said, "Never do Grissom's crossword?"

Catherine's curls rattled. "Not even close."

"Look, Catherine, I'm really sorry. I just assumed—."

"There. There you go. Don't assume things, Greg, because there's a very good chance they'll come back and bite you in the butt."

"Like now."

She smirked. "Exactly."

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Oh, I'll let you know," she replied and left in a huff.

Sara chuckled at his pained expression.

"She's going to torture me, isn't she?"

"Probably. I'm just glad she's no longer mad at me."

Greg wrinkled his nose. "Sorry."

An upbeat ring-tone played and Sara reached for her phone. "Stokes."

"Hey, Mom."

"Alexis, I was beginning to think you had died."

"Sorry about that. I had my date with Luke, and then a class, and then rehearsal. I think I'm pushing myself to a premature death."

Sara sipped her water and was quite pleased when it stayed down. "Don't be so dramatic. How'd the date go?"

"Luke is a perfect gentleman. Three years really changed him. Plus, now he's got more brownie points with the folks."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"He is going to be a CSI. You two must've made quite an impression on him."

"Lex, I'm proud of him. Tell him that." A slight feeling of nausea fluttered in her stomach and she closed her eyes, begging it to go away. "So when are you coming home?"

"This week, next week, I don't know. Whenever I can get everything packed, I guess. I have a lot of junk."

"You can always make a few trips. And your dad and I would be happy to help."

"I'll let you know. How are you feeling?" Lexi had spoken to her father earlier that day and the two had created a pact to check up on Sara at every free moment.

"Pretty good. I'm on a water and crackers diet, but hopefully that changes; it did with you. Emotions are pretty high here tonight. Greg was misinformed and told Warrick that Catherine is pregnant."

"Ouch. Is he still living?"

"For now, but we'll have to see after she dishes out his punishment."

"It was nice talking to you, Mom, but I've really got to get some sleep. Say 'hi' to Greg for me, okay? Better yet, say 'hi' to everyone. I'll call you later. I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

Alexis hung up the phone and stared at the walls of her apartment. A few nails still remained, but she had removed all of the pictures. The chair in her bedroom was piled high with them. As she made her way into the room she caught a glimpse of a photo sitting on the desk. It was in a pink frame with black and white cats every few centimeters.

For as long as she could remember, her mother had detested school photos. The setup was too impersonal and the final shot was never perfect. Nine-year-old Lexi loved having her picture taken. Sara had decided to take her to a professional and get some done. Near the end of the shoot, the photographer had suggested Sara join her. He had then said something to make the child burst out in giggles. This had Sara going and the result was sensational. The last frame was completely candid, but captured the mother-daughter relationship perfectly.

Lexi had rushed home to hang it on the living room wall and it stayed there until the move to Vegas. It was there that Sara informed her of her ancestors that frowned upon displaying photos where the public could see them. The young girl had severely overcompensated by covering every spare inch of space in her bedroom with pictures. Not long after finding out Nick was her father, Lexi had cleared the place out and made everything homier. She had lived such an unusual life it surprised her to this day.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: Greg looks to fix his mistake.**

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	9. Together

**Second Chances  
**

**Chapter Nine: Together**

Nick set a plate of eggs on the coffee table in front of Sara and walked back into the kitchen they shared.

She took one look at the food and grimaced. "Nick, are you kidding? I can't eat this, not unless you want to clean up the mess I make."

He leaned over the counter and held up a box. "Those are mine. These are yours." He carried the crackers and a plate over to her and arranged them like a tray of hors d'oeuvres.

Sara smiled graciously, but ignored the plate. She glanced at her nails and began to bite them.

"Is something wrong?" he asked after swallowing a mouthful.

"Grissom doesn't know. Everyone else knows, but he doesn't. I don't know why that happens every time. Maybe I should stop having secrets."

"Sara, you could just tell him."

"Or you could."

"We're not in the eighth grade. You can handle it. This is your thing."

"Excuse me? You're as much a part of this as I am."

"I'm not denying that, but you're the one whose work is going to be affected. And besides, you just love telling people other than me, so…"

She frowned and grabbed a saltine.

He patted her on the leg. "I'm going to get some sleep. Finish up and then you can join me."

"Oh I can? Thank you so much, Almighty Nick, for your permission."

* * *

With her eyes closed, Lexi knew something was different. Light filtered in through the curtains and it should've felt like a good morning. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and threw on a sweatshirt. Reaching into the back of her closet, she searched for a baseball bat. She twisted the knob on the bedroom door and felt her heart thumping wildly. 

Her grip on the metal relaxed when she smelled the aroma of coffee. It puzzled her; she didn't have an automatic coffee maker. She heard footsteps on the wood floor and tightened up. She turned the corner and saw a man pouring sugar packets into a mug. She took a step forward and the wood creaked; instinctively, she raised the bat. The man turned around and smiled.

Alexis lowered the bat and set it against the wall. She rested her hand on her chest. "Greg, how the hell did you get in here?"

"Your mom gave me a key."

She arched a brow and took a seat at the kitchen table. Her breathing had started to get back to normal.

"Okay, not really. I needed to talk to you, so I came over. Did you know your lock is really easy to pick?" He placed a mug in front of her.

"You broke into my apartment? Now I'm really glad I'm moving back home." She took a sip and spit it back. "Eck. Blue Hawaiian. I didn't like this when I was sixteen; what makes you think my thoughts would change?"

He shrugged. "You're a woman. And you're related to your mother."

Opening up the paper he had been kind enough to bring in, Lexi said, "So you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah. See, I'm in a little trouble at work with a couple of people and I was wondering how to get out of it."

She took a bite of a cherry-red apple. "I'm going to need more information than that. What exactly did you do? Who do you need to woo? And how much are you going to pay me?"

"First, I told Warrick that Sara said Catherine was pregnant. Second, Sara and Catherine. Possibly Warrick. I'm not sure about that. And third, twenty bucks if all goes well."

"You're on your own with Warrick; I don't know him that well. Mom will be easy. Get her something baby related. I know she's probably going to want to buy everything herself, and so is my dad, but contribute. Try a blanket or clothes or something. For Catherine I'd have to say you should just punish yourself. Buying her something might work, but paperwork will be the key to forgiveness. Oh, you know what? Pay for a dinner for her and Warrick, and while they're out, watch Lindsey. That will be gold."

Greg smiled and whipped a twenty dollar bill from his pocket. He slapped it on the table. "You're a genius."

"Thank you."

"I'm going to go now. I'll talk to you later."

"Not so fast. I need you to fix my door. I can't get my security deposit back if the lock is busted."

"Do you have a screwdriver?"

* * *

At five o'clock that evening, a clock alarm rang and Nick and Sara awoke from a nice sleep. Sara was surprised she had managed to sleep the entire time. Nick headed off to take a shower and she went to the kitchen. The red light was flashing on the telephone, indicating they had a message. 

"Hey, Mom, Dad, it's Lexi. I know you guys are sleeping, but this was the only spare moment I had. It'll take me a few days to get everything over there, but I'm going to make my first trip the day after tomorrow. I don't have rehearsal, so I'll be able to come by about noon. Do you think you can get the night before off? I'd really like to have you awake when I get there. I'll call you tonight. Bye."

Sara pulled a can of Sprite out of the fridge. Catherine's earlier suggestion had stuck with her and she was pleased that it worked. She looked at the floor of the living room. It was cluttered with junk from both Lexi's room and the spare bedroom. She was glad they had the extra space for people, but had no idea where everything else was going to go.

She entered her room just as Nick was coming out of the bathroom. His hair was tousled, but his clearly defined muscles made her weak in the knees. He caught her eye and she blushed. His classic Texas smile shined brightly.

"You better be careful," he said wickedly, "looking at me like that is what got you in your present situation."

She tossed a shirt his direction and he slipped it over his head.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: **Sara shares her secret with a friend and Lexi gets an unpleasant visitor.

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**Thanks so much to everyone who reads and reviews. You all are my favorite. I'd like to apologize to anyone who feels that there isn't enough Nick in this story. It isn't intentional; Sara is just easier for me to write. I will try to add more Nick scenes in later chapters. Please note that I do have this story written through chapter 18 or so. Thanks so much and please continue to send me your thoughts.**


	10. Over You

**Second Chances Chapter Ten: Over You**

Sara stood rigid in front of the blue door that separated her from Grissom's office. In the past few years she had been here several times. She remembered being younger and having a school-girl crush on the man who lingered inside. She would stand outside waiting for him to call her in, even if it was just to scold her for not doing her job. Lately she had just been going in to give him information. A friendship she had been in for almost a decade had been reduced to avoidance unless it was a necessity. She tugged at a loose curl in her hair and sighed. She raised her hand and tapped at the glass.

A grunt from inside signaled she was okay to go in. She hadn't yet removed her jacket and pulled it closer to her skin. "Grissom, can I talk to you?"

He delivered one of his rarely-seen smiles and gestured to the chair nearest his desk. "What can I do for you?"

"Are we friends?" she asked.

"I would say so."

"I've always thought we were more than just coworkers. All of us are that way. Although I guess in the last few years we've kind of drifted away."

He pulled his metal-rimmed glasses from his face. "That's natural with time."

"I guess so. It just disappoints me. All my life I've been busy hiding things. My childhood, Alexis, and who knows what else. It takes a lot for me to willingly give things up. In a way it is damaging. I'd like to stop. I'd like to be able to share things with people, with my friends."

"Okay." The woman sitting in front of him had always puzzled him. He studied people and for so long she had tried to convince him to see her as something other than a body. She was no longer pining for him, and yet he still found himself trying to figure her out.

"I'm pregnant," she said and folded her hands in her lap.

"Wow."

"I know. It was completely unexpected. I haven't been pregnant for twenty years. Lexi is moving back home and I need tomorrow's shift off. Nick does too. And I just really, really hope everything goes fine." She rested her head in her hands.

"Sara, I can't tell you it's going to be easy, because it probably won't. I can tell you that you'll make it through. You're one of the strongest people I know. Plus you've got Nick; that should give you an advantage. You and Nick go ahead and take tomorrow off. We'll be fine here. Please keep me in the loop regarding your pregnancy. Eventually you'll have to be on leave, but we'll deal with that when it happens."

She ran her fingers through her hair. "Thank you."

He slipped his glasses back on. "Now what do you say we get to work?"

* * *

Catherine and Sara stood at the base of the hill they had climbed several times in the process of the investigation. Grissom had asked for one more comb of the area and they were desperate for the fresh air. Sara bent over to tie a recalcitrant shoelace and noticed the slim black heels that covered her partner's feet.

"Do you remember what you told me to remind you about wearing certain shoes at certain crime scenes?" she said hesitantly.

The older woman groaned and swore softly. "This is not going to be fun."

* * *

"He swears he has an alibi?" Nick asked Warrick as the two stood in the layout room.

"He says he was at the skate park with his cousin and that plenty of people could verify it."

"What did Brass say?"

"He's still looking into it. Apparently it's hard to track down skater punks and actually get them to talk."

"The kid is our best lead. He had motive and his prints are everywhere. He can claim that's because he lives there, but it is too much of a coincidence."

"I agree," said Warrick, "but we've got to find the rock hard evidence to prove it."

Nick nodded and grabbed the crime scene photos to see if he had missed anything. He had the next shift off and wanted to make some headway before he left Warrick on his own.

* * *

"Good. Great. Almost perfect. That performance would bring tears to the eyes of our audience. You're almost done. I want them sobbing. I want them all to need to purchase over-priced tissue packs from the front desk before they leave. Step it up," Mr. Maynard hollered to his performers.

The production of his play _Sunshine Girl_ was less than a week away and he was snapping at everyone whenever he had a free moment. This was the time when Lexi was stressed enough to threaten to quit, but she'd never follow through; she loved it too much. One of the stage hands walked over to the man and whispered something in his ear. Mr. Maynard shooed him away and wiggled a finger her direction. She adjusted her costume and headed over.

"I have been informed that you have a visitor. He insists it is urgent. You have five minutes. One second more and I will seriously consider replacing you."

She opened her mouth but he waved her away.

"Go. Fast."

She jogged backstage and her mind filled with horror stories that could be waiting for her.

It should've been good news that the visitor was only Mike, but instead she felt disappointed. "What are you doing here?"

"I haven't talked to you for days. I was worried."

"Why?"

"Lexi, you're my girlfriend. It is my job to worry about you."

She rolled her eyes and sat on a pile of bricks. "We are not dating, Mike. We broke up. You're a drunk and I don't like it. Do yourself a favor and go find some girl that loves to party. I'm not it."

"We can work through this. You and I are meant to be! Everyone always said so. We had plans to see New York together."

"Mike, we dated for less than three months. One of your cousins said we were meant to be and I believe she was high at the time, so you'll excuse me if I ignore her word. Yeah, we planned to go to New York, but together or not, the state will always be there. Go yourself. I'm a dancer. I'm a singer. I'm an actor. You don't like that. I'm not going to change myself. We're over. I'm moving on, so should you."

He scowled and balled his fists. "One day, Alexis Stokes, you're going to wake up and realize I'm the best you ever had. You're going to beg for me to take you back, but I won't. And then you'll be crushed."

"I'll live," she said and turned to walk back to the stage.

"I wouldn't be so sure," he yelled after her.

* * *

**Next time on Second Chances: **As Lexi prepares to move back home, she realizes things are going to be very different.

* * *

**Thanks to my reviewers. You guys rock. PenguinGoddess...to tell you the truth, I completely forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me of that! Please let me know what you thought. **


	11. We All Fall Down

**I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to update. I have a bunch written for this story, so I'll be posting it soon. Enjoy. **

**Second Chances Chapter Eleven: We All Fall Down**

Alexis had been packing for hours and was suffering from a raging headache. She downed a couple of aspirin and frowned as her determination to be meticulous faded away. She took hold of the duffel she had saved to fill with things to take to the house on the first night and began to shove clothes in haphazardly. As she scoured the room for toiletries and her favorite pair of shoes, she made a mental note to invite some friends over to help her finish packing later; she could definitely not do this alone. She tossed her favorite John Mayer CD into the bag and struggled to zip it tight.

The watch on her wrist told her it was ten in the morning. She had just enough time to catch the bus and head into town for a quick breakfast. She had packed most of her cooking supplies and didn't feel like a bowl of cereal. Hoisting the duffel onto her shoulder, she was careful to lock the door on the way out.

* * *

Nick whirled Sara around and kissed her on the lips. She felt a tingle in her spine and Goosebumps on her skin. After a few seconds, she pulled away.

"We've really got to stop. Lexi's going to be here in a couple hours and she won't be happy if she doesn't have a room to go to."

He kissed her cheek. "Okay, but just know that I'm not through with you."

She giggled. "I would hope not."

He picked up the pieces of a bed frame and walked down the hall. "I don't see why we had to buy a whole new bed. She's got one at the apartment. Now we're just going to have to store more stuff."

"We can have a yard sale. It'll be good for all of us. Of course some things," she said indicating a flat football, "we can just throw out."

"Hey," he said dropping the frame and grabbing the ball from her hand, "that is my 1982 Stokes Family Football MVP prize."

"Can you hear yourself, Nick? It's been over twenty years. Let it go."

He walked over and placed it on the kitchen counter. "We'll discuss that later," he said and went back to getting Lexi's bed all set up.

An hour later two very tired people relaxed on the couch. Sara had her feet up on the coffee table and Nick was flipping through sports channels. He settled on a football game and she dozed off for a quick nap.

* * *

The bus was unusually crowded and Alexis wished she had a car. It would've made everything, not just moving, so much easier. The man next to her had a scraggly beard and smelled ripe. She did her best to breathe through her mouth. Her watched displayed eleven-forty-five. The line at the McDonald's had been extremely long and they had screwed up her order. She sighed, remembering how she generally despised fast food in the first place.

She hopped down the steps and smiled at the senior citizen who was in line to get on the bus. The stop was only a couple blocks from her parents' house and she was glad to stretch her legs. Both Denalis sat in the driveway and she admired them as she had when she was a young girl.

The front window was open and she heard a man's voice singing. Instead of knocking on the door, she stepped into the gravel and peered in through the glass. Nick's head was close to Sara's stomach. She was grinning and he was singing Tim Easton's "Next to You" in his sultry voice. The teen felt like she had been kicked in the gut. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She turned around and ran down the walk.

She didn't stop moving until she reached the Las Vegas Crime Lab.

At just after twelve-thirty she didn't expect to see anyone she recognized, but Greg was standing at the front desk chatting with the receptionist. The automatic doors whirred shut and he smiled when he saw the visitor.

She half-smiled and walked back to the break room. A day-shift woman grabbed a banana from the fridge and cast a suspicious glance toward the intruder. Alexis dropped her duffel bag on the floor and collapsed into a chair. Greg entered a few seconds later.

"I'm a bit confused," he said. "Your parents took the day off because you were going home, and you're here."

"Yeah," she said, chin quivering, "I am."

He took a seat in the chair next to her and asked her to tell him her problems.

"Greg, I feel terrible."

"Okay. I'll take you to the hospital."

"No, not that kind of terrible. I had every intention of going home today. I packed my bag, rode the bus, and walked right up to the door. I just couldn't go in. They were busy being a family, two parents and a baby on the way; I couldn't interrupt them. Nick is going to be a dad."

Greg was unsure how to proceed. He hadn't heard the girl call her father Nick for years. "Nick is already a dad. He's got you, doesn't he?"

"He had me as a teenager. Now I'm just going to be some adult living in his house."

"You don't really think that."

"That's the problem; I really do. I can't help but have this feeling that this baby will change everything. It's like all those families that adopt kids because they think they can't have any on their own and then one day they realize they can. I'm his adopted kid."

"You are not. We never have a day where he doesn't talk about you. He's proud of you and everything you've done. Both of them are. Your deciding to move back home made them very happy."

"I don't like feeling this way, honest. When Mom told me about the baby I was ecstatic. I've always wanted siblings. I was happy for my dad too. But when I saw and heard them everything just fell apart. Now he gets the chance to do what he never did with me. This kid is going to have a father all its life. I didn't. I guess you could say I'm jealous."

"Look, I don't know what else to say to you. Hang out here today. I'm sure no one will mind."

She nodded.

* * *

Greg went to check on her a few hours later and found her fast asleep. He found something to calm his hunger craving and took an empty chair. The room was silent, so he immediately noticed when a phone began to ring. It wasn't his, and no one answered it. He unzipped the front pocket of Lexi's duffel bag and lifted out a silver cell-phone.

"Hello?" he whispered.

"Who is this?" the voice asked.

"Greg," he whispered.

"Greg? This is Sara. What are you doing with Lexi's phone, and why are you whispering?"

"She's asleep at the lab. I don't want to wake her up."

"She's at the lab? She was supposed to come home. Nick and I have been worried sick."

"Well, she's fine, but I don't think she'll be home anytime soon. She was pretty upset."

"Why?"

"I can't really tell you. It's her business. I can tell you she did come by the house today. Just talk to her, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks, Greg."

"No problem." He hung up the phone and looked at the sleeping girl. She was in for a rough road.

* * *

**Please let me know what you thought!**


	12. Not Myself

**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter. See, I told you this would be up sooner! Enjoy. **

**Second Chances Chapter Twelve: Not Myself**

For the second time in a day, Alexis Stokes felt very strange. Her back was stiff and her nose sensed unfamiliar smells. She was supposed to be in the comfort of her own bed, sleeping under freshly bought sheets. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling tiles. The harsh light made her squint and she remembered where she was: the lab. She had hidden from her parents for a juvenile reason. She knew it was stupid, of course her father loved her, but she couldn't make that sinking feeling go away. She sat up and checked her watch. The graveyard shift had already started.

Warrick stood at the sink rinsing out a mug and looked over his shoulder at the stir of movement. "Hello, sleepyhead," he said.

"I cannot believe I slept this late. I didn't mean to make everyone have to tip-toe around me."

"Don't worry about it. We've all slept in here at one time or another."

She ran her fingers through her mildly tangled hair, trying to get the knots out. "Hey, Warrick, do you know where my parents are?"

"Nick is in the layout room, but I have no idea where Sara's at. You could always call her."

"Okay, thanks." She watched him leave and reached for her cell-phone. The stiffness in her back caused her to flinch. She had dialed the first few numbers when Sara walked in the door. She ended the call and shoved the phone into her pocket. "I was just going to call you."

"Hmm," responded Sara.

"I'm sorry I didn't sooner."

"I'm sure you had your reasons."

Lexi pulled a ponytail holder from her wrist and wrapped it around her hair. She assumed her mascara had rubbed around her face, but now wasn't the time to fret about her appearance. "I just didn't want to be a fourth wheel."

"What?"

"You and dad were singing to the baby. I didn't want to interrupt."

Sara sat next to her daughter. "That's what upset you?"

The girl bit her lip. "You talked to Greg."

"Briefly. He let us know you were here. It's probably a good thing we talked to him; we were about ready to send out the cavalry."

"That seems to be my calling card, doesn't it?"

Sara nodded. She was surprised how much the girl resembled her parents. Lexi's cheekbones were identical to Sara's, but the eyes were all Nick. Sara also recognized Lexi's silence as being like her own.

"Everything is going to be different now, isn't it?" Lexi's voice quivered enough to make anyone's heart break.

Sara pulled her close and stroked her head. "You don't need to be afraid of anything. Your dad and I are always here for you. You have to know that."

"But what about the baby? What about all the cool new things you'll get to do? Isn't the most rewarding experience of someone's life being a parent? Now you get to do that together."

"I want you to look at me right now. This baby is not going to push you out or make us forget about you. You are our daughter. You've been a part of my life for twenty years; I'm not going to cast you off. Nick may have only known you for the last three, but he doesn't love you any less. You're going to be home and you're going to be involved. Nothing will ever take you away from us. I want you to understand that."

She knew this was the time to say something. She knew she should at least pretend to agree with her mother. Security, that's what Sara needed to be assured she wasn't making a mistake, but Alexis couldn't deliver it. She was too wrapped up in the delusions of what life was meant to be like to understand reality.

Sara gave up waiting for an answer, and forcing one out would just strike up an argument. With one last kiss on the forehead, she rose from the chair and left the room quietly. Perhaps Catherine could provide her with a bit of insight.

Alexis took her bag into the women's restroom and changed clothes. She fixed her makeup and ran a brush through her hair. She glanced at the mirror from time to time, but was careful to not look herself in the eye. She didn't think she could bear the shame.

She found the locker room with relative ease. Locating her mother's space was even less difficult. A crayon-drawn slip of paper bore her name in red and blue. Lexi had created it at the age of eight. Sara had put it up not long after everything had spilled out. She spun the lock with the combination she had had memorized since she was six. She threw the bag made of bright yellow fabric in the locker and managed to barely close the door.

She wandered aimlessly around the lab for a few minutes. A couple of the techs gave her strange looks, but most knew who she was. She came to a room with the window shades open. Gil Grissom sat inside reading a forensic journal. When she was thirteen, ten-year-old Lindsey Willows had told her that Sara Sidle had a massive crush on this man. Grissom, with his wire glasses and graying hair looked nothing like her mental picture, but then, people rarely did.

She had only had conversations with him in passing. She had always assumed that he was a bit bitter on the whole situation of Sara having a daughter. While that was now considered old news, she doubted he had completely gotten over it. Still, she needed help from someone who was unbiased. She knocked on the door and waited for the signal to come in.

If he was surprised to see her, she didn't notice. With a flick of his wrist, he told her to sit at the chair adjacent to his desk. The walls of his office were covered with books and jars of dead bugs.

"What can I do for you?" His question reminded her of the way one would speak to an employee. She appreciated the fact that he didn't treat her differently because of her age or who she was related to.

"My mom is having a baby," she said. She might've started off by complimenting the fact that he was obviously very literate, but she believed he was a business man who wanted to get straight to the point.

"So I've heard."

"And my dad is the father."

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly. "I gathered as much."

"And I'm unbelievably jealous."

"You want to have a baby?"

She let his question sink in a moment. It was plausible that someone could assume that was her problem. She was close with her mother, so why wouldn't one think she wanted to share the same experience? "Not exactly. I want to be the baby."

"I see." Grissom felt that it would be best to just let her talk. She was very much like Sara, who liked to vent. On a more scientific level, she was living proof of genetics. He could very easily divvy up the parts of her that belonged to Nick and Sara. She had the physical and mental aspects of her parents.

"My mom and I have practically told each other everything my whole life, with the exception of who my father is, of course. I've been her confidante and she is mine. And I've had the full teenage experience with my dad. He's threatened shoot my boyfriends, let me drive his car, and cooked me breakfast. I always knew where I stood with both of them."

"And now you don't."

"Exactly. They are going to be so busy with the new baby that I'll be like a roommate. Maybe I should get a dog."

"Do you want a dog?"

"Not really. I really would like a baby brother or sister. Family reunions would be so much more fun. Not to mention the fact that Dad will be well on the way to catching up with his brothers and sisters. Oh, my gosh!" She had completely forgotten about her father's side of the family. They had originally hated the fact that they had not been given the opportunity to watch Nick's only child grow up. Now, they too were getting another chance to be full-out family members.

"I'm the tester kid," she continued. "They tried me out, realized they liked having a kid and thought they'd give it another go. They'll have a lot of messes to deal with, but they've got each other."

"Hmm."

Lexi crossed her legs, placed her elbow on her knee, and rested her head in her hand. "What's wrong with me?"

"I'm not sure I'm qualified to…"

"No, it's okay. I came in here looking for help. Be as brutal as you want. I need a wakeup call."

"You've only had three years to be with both of your parents. Most kids get more than that, at least at the beginning of their life. And now that you've finally gotten the rhythm down of being this match-making daughter, it's going to be destroyed. It is human nature to want to be number one. People are instinctively competitive. They want love, attention, and acceptance. Why should you be any different?

"I've known your parents for several years now. Even before I knew they had a child I knew what kind of people they were. Both of them are extremely caring. They often attach themselves to victims, so much so that I have to tell them to back away. They don't like to hurt the feelings of others. In the past few years, I've come to learn that they love you. They would take bullets and worse for you in a second, no questions asked. Having another kid isn't going to change that. If anything it is going to make their love for you stronger. You're going to be their extra limbs. And, like most parents, they will probably shower you with affection just to make sure you don't feel unloved. If you ask me, you're very lucky."

"Thank you," she said and shook his hand. Without another word she strolled off to the layout room expecting to find her father. The room was empty, but she heard female voices down the hall and figured one of them had to belong to her mom.

* * *

"Everything about this case tells us it's a murder-suicide. There don't seem to be any discrepancies with that theory, so why don't we run with it?" Catherine asked. They had been staring at the same evidence photos for days and it was getting on her nerves.

"I agree, but it still feels like we're missing something," stated Sara.

"I am not going back up that hill. I just bought new shoes and I plan on keeping them clean for at least twenty-four hours."

"Relax; we'll send—." She was cut off by a tall girl with dark brown hair that was pulled into a ponytail.

Alexis embraced her mother, who stood stunned for a second before returning the hug.

Sara caught a glimpse of Catherine, whose face glowed with a smile. She patted Lexi on the back, who gave her a kiss on the cheek and scurried out the door.

A moment later a hand was back on the doorframe. Lexi leaned her head in and grinned. "I'll see you at home."

No one would believe that Gil Grissom had helped her through her little dilemma. She knew his reputation for being detached from normal human communication. She figured he was comfortable with all of this and didn't want to cause him any embarrassment. So she kept everything quiet, but went back and thanked the man one more time before catching the bus to the Stokes house.

* * *

**Please let me know what you thought. More to come!**


	13. Feeling Good

**Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy, and always remember to please review. Oh yes, Mma63, your wish is my command. **

**Second Chances Chapter Thirteen: Feeling Good**

"So this is your house," Luke said as he walked over the threshold into the large living room.

Lexi nodded. "For the time being anyway. I'm sure I'll move out eventually. I just didn't see any point to doing it now."

"I can see you growing up here."

"I didn't."

He chuckled. "I know, but I can see it." He scoped the room. "You know, that couch looks really comfortable."

"Oh, it is. You should try it."

He plopped himself down on the leather and let his eyes roll back in his head as he propped his feet on the table. "You weren't joking."

"I never do."

"I know that. You should join me."

She kicked off her shoes and crossed the carpet. "Okay, but I'm warning you; don't try anything funny. I'm a black belt."

"Really?"

She giggled. "No, but I can run pretty fast."

He stroked her hair and she turned to face him. He leaned and kissed her.

She allowed it and waves of memories washed over her. She was sixteen again and lying under the stars past curfew.

When she pulled away, he whistled and said, "Wow. Why did I ever break up with you?"

"Because you were stupid. And Melissa Arthur promised she'd show you her chest."

He grimaced. "Oh, yeah. Unsurprisingly, she never did."

"Imagine that." She searched his eyes, remembering how much she had thought she'd loved him. "I slept all day; can you believe that? Days without rehearsal are like heaven to me. Let's watch a movie, okay?"

"Sure. Take your pick."

Alexis chose the love story _The Notebook_ for two reasons. First, she absolutely loved it, and secondly, she felt it could hold some sort of truth in her own relationship. Not long into it she fell asleep with Luke at her side.

At six the next morning she was awakened by the sound of a key being forced into a lock. That was followed by cursing that the person had chosen the incorrect key. She was dazed for a moment, but soon realized it had to be her parents returning home from work. She shook Luke awake and put a finger to her lips.

"Look, this might not be the best time to tell you, but my parents have absolutely no idea you're here."

Shock displayed on his face. "I'm going to go to your room, pop out the screen, and run."

She shook her head. "You won't have time, and my dad would hear it. You don't want that. Just go stand in my room until I can go get you." The handle turned. "Hurry," she whispered.

Luke disappeared into her bedroom just as Nick and Sara stepped through the door.

"Hi, Mom, Dad," she said as inconspicuously as possible.

"I'm glad to see you made in home okay," Nick replied.

"Me too," said Sara. "Oh, and you left a jacket in the break room." She held up a deep blue sweatshirt.

"Thanks for bringing it home."

"No problem. I'll just go put it in your room."

Lexi's heart leapt into her throat. "No, that's okay, I'll do it," she choked out.

Sara looked at her curiously. "Lex, relax, I am capable of laying it on your bed."

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have to. I mean, it's my responsibility." She held out her hand, but Sara slapped it away.

"I'm glad you decided to make today the day you turn righteous, but really, I can handle it." Sara turned and walked down the hall.

Lexi grabbed the sides of the couch, bracing herself for what was sure to come. She just hoped her mother wasn't carrying her gun.

"Aaaaah," came a female scream. It was shortly followed by a male voice hollering, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

Nick and Lexi raced into the room to find Sara pinning Luke to the floor. Lexi threw her hands to her face as Nick pushed Sara away and grabbed Luke by the shirt.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" he yelled.

"I'm Luke. Lucas Palmer." He struggled to regulate his breath. Having a grown man on your back doesn't make that process easy.

Nick and Sara turned to look at their daughter who smiled sheepishly.

"I can explain," she said softly.

"You better," Nick agreed, "but first, I think you, young man, need to go home."

"Will do. Bye, Lexi. Call me later," he added quietly and dashed from the room.

The adults waited until they were certain the front door had closed before ushering their child into the living room.

"Sit," Sara said and pointed to the couch. "I just have one question: What were you thinking?"

"Nothing happened, I swear. He came over at about eleven-thirty and we started to watch a movie. Then we fell asleep. I woke up when I heard you guys try to get the door open."

"If that's all, why did you have him hide in your bedroom?" Nick asked in an accusatory tone.

"Because I know you two well enough to know you'd freak out. Apparently I was right."

"We're going to have to set some ground rules concerning this stuff," said Sara. "You can't have free reign here. No boys at all hours of the night."

Lexi twisted her hair around her fingers. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for it to go on so late. This was my one night off and I wanted some company. You were at work, so I called Luke."

"You are so much like me," Nick said as he walked toward his own room. Sara caught up with him and smacked him in the back of the head. "Ouch. What was that for?"

"There's no need to encourage this behavior," said Sara.

"Oh, calm down. Every parent has to scold their kid once in awhile. You're going to have to get used to it, because I bet this kid is a rascal."

"I hope not," Sara complained.

"You can wish all you want," Nick stated as he pulled off his shoes and socks, "but let's face it, we're trouble."

* * *

The next morning, Lexi was up bright and early and strolled into the kitchen. Nick was already at work concocting a wonderful smelling breakfast.

"This brings back memories," she said as she went to the counter and hopped onto a barstool.

"Ah, yes. We had many good mornings in that apartment, didn't we?" He stirred some batter with a wooden spoon.

"I think that's what really got me closer to you, having all those hours to talk while Mom slept. It was nice. I've missed that." She leaned over the counter and stuck her finger into the bowl.

"I agree," he replied and pulled her finger out. "You're going to eat it all before it has the chance to become muffins."

Her eyes twinkled. "That is a risk I'm willing to take." Her finger went back to the counter, but hit the rim of the bowl, sending it into her father. The batter had been runnier than intended and slopped over the edges onto his shirt. Lexi laughed openly.

"Alexis, in about two seconds you are really going to be wishing you'd slept in."

"Oh yeah, why's that?" she asked before backing off the stool.

Nick dipped a measuring cup into the jar of flour on his right and pulled it out with a flick of his wrist. The powder flew across the counter, turning his daughter a nice shade of white.

She held her arms out in surprise as a grin spread across his face. She picked up the salt shaker from the table and twisted off the top. The crystals hit him right on the nose.

The batter went next and there was little Lexi could do to retaliate. She slipped on the floor and landed in a heap. Nick came around and dropped a dishrag on her face. "I think I've made my point," he said and laughed. "Let's get this cleaned up before your mother wakes."

They didn't have the chance. Sara came out of the bedroom after the words left his lips. She arched her brows at the sight of them and placed her hands on her hips. "Honestly, I can't leave you two alone, can I? I'm going to go take a shower. The kitchen better be spotless when I get back."

Lexi stood and wiped the powder from her face. "You can't get too used to this, Dad. Once that baby comes you won't want to use food as projectiles. You'll be too busy cleaning it up."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "That is where you are mistaken, kid. By living in this house, you are sharing in the responsibility, and I think I've found what you're going to do." He kissed the top of her head. "You take the floor. I've got the counters."

* * *

**More soon. Please review. If there's some part of the storyline that I've forgotten or you think needs to come up again, please let me know. I did have this on the** **back burner for quite some time. Thanks much.**


	14. Take Me Away

**Thanks so much to all of the reviewers. Here's the next section! **

**Second Chances Chapter Fourteen: Take Me Away  
**

It was opening night of the Las Vegas Theatre's production of _Sunshine Girl._ Lexi was performing the lead role of Ellen McCarthy and she was nervous. This was only her second major show and a lot of important people were in the audience. It was rumored that casting directors from New York were in town scouting for new talent.

The costume director tied up her corset and she tiptoed to the edge of the stage and peeked around the side of the ruby curtain. Her mother and father sat in the front row admiring the program. She saw Sara stick an extra one into the pocket of her purse, no doubt for safe keeping. Nick looked up and met eyes with his daughter. He showed her a quick thumbs up and smiled as she disappeared behind the curtain.

_Three minutes to show-time. _A stout woman with frazzled auburn hair tossed a green dress her direction. Alexis stepped into it and inhaled deeply as the woman tied it up in the back. She stepped into the sparkly shoes and stood patiently as a man dabbed rosy blush onto her cheeks. She ran a brush through her hair once more and went in search of her stack of books.

"Lexi," someone whispered.

She turned around and was delighted to see that Luke had somehow managed to sneak past the guards. "How did you get back here?" she gushed.

"I told them I worked with the prop-master and that if Ellen McCarthy didn't have her leather jacket, heads would roll."

"Leather jacket?"

"It's all I had on me at the moment." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

She would've liked more, but doubted Mr. Maynard would be pleased with her having to go through makeup again. She showed Luke the way to the house and he chose a seat a few rows back from her parents. There was an empty space up front, but considering their last encounter, he chose to play it safe.

She ran through her lines in her head over and over. She shook her hands, hoping to quell her nerves. She closed her eyes and thought back to her first play.

She was in the first grade and her school was putting on a show about eating healthy. She had wanted to play the main girl, but was given the role of Milk Carton #1. It was her job to inform the girl about milk's calcium and chase her about the stage. She had been a performer ever since.

Mr. Maynard called his cast to attention and gave them a brief, uplifting speech. Alexis was shocked that it contained no profanity or threats of minor bodily harm if things went wrong. He even wished them all good luck. She smirked. _So he did have a heart._

The show went on without a glitch. She made it through all of her scenes, and just as Mr. Maynard had hoped, people were buying Kleenex by intermission. During the break she snuck into a bathroom stall and placed a call to her mother.

"Lexi, what are you doing?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'll meet you outside after the show."

"Okay. We'll be right by the picnic benches. You're doing great. I love it." Sara paused and Lexi heard mumblings in the background. "Your father says 'hi'. We'll see you soon, sweetie."

She hung up and snuck back to the stage before anyone noticed. After a group hug from her costars, she hurried off to present the third act.

* * *

Alexis was very happy to know that she had received the largest applause. The show had been a hit and it was obvious that it had moved people. She saw her mother dab her eyes with a tissue. She tossed her parents a wink.

The backstage area was full of cast members undressing and hurrying to get into regular clothes and meet their families. Lexi quickly rubbed off her makeup and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. She snapped a hair tie onto her wrist and took a brush to her hair. She threw her things into her sports bag and left through the rear exit to avoid the crowd.

She could see the light at the end of the alleyway and quickened her pace. There was something about being outside in Las Vegas at night that freaked her out. She had taken a few steps past a large green dumpster when a hand grabbed her elbow. She tried to scream, but another hand was slapped over her mouth to stifle any sound. At the close proximity she could tell who her captor was: Mike.

He uncovered her mouth and held out his arms. "Hey, babe. How you been?"

Shaking from the shock, she rubbed her elbow. "Fine."

"That's nice. I haven't been so great. Do you know why?"

She shook her head slowly. "No."

"I'll fill you in, then. I had this girlfriend. I thought she was sweet, but she turned out to be a real bitch."

She flinched at the bitterness of his sentence. "Why are you here, Mike?" she asked cautiously.

"Payback, honey. Revenge. You hurt me, so I'm going to hurt you."

He slapped a piece of duct tape on her mouth and grinned wickedly. He wrapped his arms around her body and carried her to his dump of a car. He tossed her in the back seat and covered her with a crocheted blanket. He jumped in the driver's seat and sped off.

* * *

Sara, understanding that her daughter was probably being gifted with affection, chose to sit at the picnic table and admire the surroundings. Nick, on the other hand, was playing protective father and stood by the red doors waiting for Lexi to exit. He was rigid with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The moon cast a sublime glow on his facial features and Sara felt lust stir within her bones. She stared at him for the next five minutes, entranced.

Soon, five minutes turned into fifteen and suddenly the moonlight was no longer seductive; it was frightening. Sara abandoned her post at the bench and joined Nick at the door. Patrons had stopped pouring out, but every few minutes or so, a straggler would exit. It wasn't until a janitor came by and turned out the lights that a raging uneasiness took hold of her emotions.

She laced her fingers with her husband's and gripped his shoulder. "Nick, where is she?"

He must've heard the terror in her voice, because he cupped her chin with his free hand. "She probably missed us in the pack and is waiting at the car."

Sara's gut told her this was incorrect, but she let him led her to the jet black Denali. They walked around the parking lot hand in hand, but there was no sign of their nineteen-year-old daughter.

Sweat beads formed on Nick's forehead as he led his wife aimlessly around the campus. He wasn't ready to admit it, but concern had enveloped him. They found the back alley where an overhead light flickered on and off. He gripped Sara's hand tighter as they entered the darkness. They had gotten about halfway when Sara tripped over something on the ground. He caught her before she landed, but a sob escaped her lips anyway.

She would've recognized that bag anywhere. Lexi had been obsessed with iron-on patches for jeans as a child and Sara had sewed some onto a sports bag for her one Christmas. The girl had rarely parted with it since then. She bent over to touch it, but Nick held her back.

"Wait," he whispered, "I'll call her again." He didn't use speed-dial. He wanted to be sure every number he typed was correct. He read over it three times before hitting send.

Immediately a string of musical notes pierced the night air. His worst fear realized, Nick shut his phone and pulled Sara farther away from the bag; it was now the only evidence they had in a possible crime scene.

He still held her hand as they ran to the car. He jumped in and waited before she had buckled to speed off. Flipping open his phone once again he called the familiar number of the Las Vegas Crime Lab.

"Grissom."

"Hey, it's Nick. I need some help; Alexis is missing."

In the passenger seat, Sara swallowed hard. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat, but couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face.

* * *

**More to come. Thanks for reading. Please, please review. I'd love any suggestions. **


	15. Breakable

**Thanks so much for reviewing. Enjoy. **

**Second Chances Chapter Fifteen: Breakable  
**

"Look, Brass, Lexi doesn't just run off," Nick said angrily. All of the grave shift members sat around the break room table with Brass and Sofia. It had been two hours since Nick called to report Lexi missing and they were getting absolutely nowhere.

"I seem to remember differently. Three years ago she leaves your house without telling anyone. You search for hours and come to find that she's at Catherine's," the detective responded.

"That was different," he said pointing a finger at the man. "She was trying to get her mother and me together." He looked at Sara; her head was buried in her hands.

"How do we know she's not just trying to make another statement? Did you think to call the Willows house?"

"I already did that. Lindsey assured me she's not there," said Catherine.

"Last time," Sofia started.

"Last time was different," Nick interrupted. "How many times am I going to have to tell you people that? If she was just trying to make a point, why would she leave her bag and her cell-phone in the middle of an alley?" His voice was rising.

"He has a point," Greg said, "She's rarely without her phone."

"Thank you," said Nick.

"There's not much we can do," Warrick said, "She's nineteen. You have to wait twenty-four hours before you can report her missing."

"Bull-shit," Nick muttered. "I've worked for this damn city for years. The least they could do is help me find my kid. The least you all could do is get out there and process the alley."

"Who would want to take your daughter?" Grissom asked.

"I don't know!" Nick shouted. "What difference does that make? Someone took her and I want her back." He gestured to Sara. "We want her back."

The brunette looked up from her hands, her face tearstained. "Stop arguing. Pissing each other off isn't going to help Lexi. We need to work together. I'm going home to wait by the phone in case someone calls. Nick, you should stay here. The rest of you, well, I can't tell you what to do, but," her chin trembled and she struggled to stay calm, "please help me find my daughter. She loves and respects every one of you. Please find her. I know the state wants you to wait twenty-four hours, but we know something isn't right. Prove me wrong if you have to. I don't care, just bring my daughter back." At that she broke down and Nick got up to hold her.

She pushed him away and rushed out the door without saying a word to anyone. Nick looked hurt and Catherine rested a hand on his shoulder.

"She's stressed right now. Just let her go," she said.

Brass sighed and adjusted the jacket of his suit. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've got a girl to find."

They all nodded in agreement and looked to Grissom who gave them their various jobs. Nick was given the hardest task of all; he needed to sit and wait.

* * *

Alexis was shaken by mixed emotions. First, she was scared. Mike was an unpredictable man, and if her life was in his hands, she didn't hold out much hope for herself. Secondly, she was filled with rage. For a time she had trusted this man and was angered to find that he would forget that. It was true that she had ended their relationship, but normal human beings don't go around giving out this kind of revenge. And thirdly she was experiencing a kind of faith. Her parents where who they were, and that was definitely a bonus for her. She knew that they would stop at nothing to see she came home safe and sound.

The car lurched to a stop and she feigned being asleep. He ripped the blanket from her grabbed her by the arm.

"Come on, Lex, I know you're awake." When she didn't respond, he slapped her across the face.

Her eyes widened and Mike chuckled.

"That's a good girl. Now, let's go; I have some people I want you to meet."

Her head was pounding from the slap and she would've given anything for an aspirin. He was pulling her hard up the driveway of a strange house, and her main goal was just to put one foot in front of the other. As she was practically being dragged, this was difficult.

The porch light went on and the front door opened. The sound it made informed Alexis that it was ready to come off its hinges. A fat man walked out dressed completely in leather. His graying beard was long and tangled. He was missing a few teeth and held a can of cheap beer in his right hand. He reached out and shook Mike's hand. He pointed toward the girl struggling to get free and Mike nodded.

The inside of the house was fogged with smoke and Alexis was tempted to throw up. Her eyes burned and she longed to close them, but knew she needed to pay attention to her surroundings. Mike hoisted her in the air and dropped her on a chair. She could feel the wood through the fabric and winced at the pain.

"Watch her," he ordered his companions before exiting the room.

A man with a cigar in his face got up and circled the chair appraising the catch. "So you're the one?" he asked.

Alexis remained still, but kept her eyes glued to him.

"You did him wrong, girl; I'll tell you that much. He was a real wreck for a couple of days. But no matter, he'll get over it." He leaned close to her face and she almost choked on the stench. "He'll get over you."

* * *

In the alleyway behind the Las Vegas Theatre, four criminalists examined the scene. The bag was to the side of the dumpster. Greg was busy trying to extract fingerprints from the metal. Warrick was snapping photographs of anything that looked even slightly suspicious. He owed it to Nick and Sara to not make a mistake. Catherine helped Grissom place the sports bag into a trash-bag. They needed to take it back to the lab and examine it. Every few minutes or so, the familiar ring-tone would play.

She tied off the bag and placed it in the back of Grissom's Denali. She leaned against the frame and set a hand on her forehead. She pulled her cell-phone from its clip and dialed her home number. Warrick noticed this and took a break. She saw him approach and put the phone down.

He rubbed her back. "Calling Lindsey?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to remind her one more time how important it is she tells us if she knows where Lexi is."

"And you wanted to make sure she's okay."

She stuck her head against his chest. "I'm worried 'Rick. If it can happen to Alexis, there's no reason it can't happen to Lindsey."

"Hey, there's no reason to suspect that this has any connection with the lab. And without that connection, there's no way to connect Lindsey and Alexis."

"Other than the fact that they're friends." She lowered herself to the ground.

"Cath, you've got to be strong here. Lindsey is fine, but as far as we know, Lexi isn't. We've got some people counting on us. We can't let them down." He held out his hand.

She took it graciously and allowed him to help her to her feet. "You're right. I'm being silly. Let's get back to work."

* * *

Sara was frantic. She had checked Lexi's bedroom six times and called her even more. She watched the phone like a hawk, begging it to ring. Sometimes she'd just pick it up and listen to the dial tone, assuring herself it was there.

This was the second time she had ever had to be the mother of a missing child. The first time had been different; it was resolved in a few hours with no real police involvement. She knew in her heart that this time some would be required. She checked her watch: nineteen hours until they got the help.

Her muscles were aching, she was so tense. She wanted to pour endless amounts of coffee down her throat, but with her pregnancy, she knew this was impossible. All she could do was sit and wait.

* * *

Nick was close to strangling someone. People kept coming by and telling him how sorry they were. He didn't want their apologies; he wanted their help. He wanted just one of the twelve people he'd seen so far to get out there and find his daughter. Another lab tech walked into the break room and Nick shot him a glare, daring him to speak. The man quickly abandoned his quest for whatever he had come for and rushed out. Nick now knew what he hated the most in life: waiting.

* * *

Mike still had not returned from the back room. As each second ticked by on the clock, Alexis prayed silently for someone to come find her. Beer Can and Cigar Face kept staring at her, pursing their lips as if they were waiting for a kiss. She did her best to ignore their whispers. She had become used to the smell of smoke, but didn't have to think back to her years of health classes to know it was harming her insides.

There were no other females in the room, and this realization sent a shiver down her spine. Being alone with one twisted man was bad enough, but four or so was terrifying. She closed her eyes and pictured her childhood, her parents, her friends, anything to keep her mind away from where she was at. But that only worked for so long. All there was left was the wait. Either her parents would come get her, or Mike would.

* * *

**Please review. I'd love to know what you're thinking. More to come.**


	16. Hold on Tight

**Second Chances Chapter Sixteen: Hold on Tight**

_Twelve Hours Missing._

Nick had dozed off and did not notice when an exhausted-looking Brass said his name. The man finally had to walk over and shake his young friend awake.

Nick rubbed his eyes. "What? Did you find her?"

Brass solemnly shook his head. "No, but the state is doing you a favor. They have agreed to declare her missing at twelve hours. Since that's right about now, I thought I'd come and start an official investigation. We're going to need to talk."

Jim stepped out the door and Nick followed. He was pleased to see Sara in the lobby, although she looked as though she had not gotten any sleep. He took her hand and they followed the detective to a secluded area. He took out a pen and notepad and the three sat.

"When was the last time you saw or talked to Alexis?"

"She called me at intermission, but we saw her take a bow at the end of the show," Sara said tiredly.

"And what did she say in the phone conversation?"

"That she'd meet us outside at the picnic benches as soon as she could."

"Okay. Does Alexis have any enemies that you know of?"

"No, she's well-liked," Nick said.

"How about boyfriends; does she have a lot of those?"

"She's dating Luke Palmer now, but she did just break up with someone," Sara remembered.

"And what is his name?"

"Mike something. I don't really know. They didn't date that long, maybe a couple of months," said Sara.

"Who ended the relationship?"

"I'm not positive, but I think it was her. He drank and she didn't like that."

"Do you have any photos of the two of them together? That will help us get an ID."

"Lex just moved in with us, so most of her stuff is still at her apartment. I'm sure she has some pictures there, but they're probably all in boxes," Nick said.

"Well, I'll get someone down there. And I'll check out these boyfriends. I don't know what to tell you other than to wait and hope for the best. There wasn't a ransom demand, so the kidnapper is probably an amateur." To be honest, Brass hated that he had to use a professional tone. He knew they'd get enough love from everyone else, and someone had to keep their head in the investigation. They'd thank him for it in the end.

* * *

The team had moved locations and was now at the apartment registered to Alexis Stokes. Grissom had used Sara's key to get in and was surveying the lock.

"This looks like it has recently been broken into and then fixed," he said.

Greg's eyes bulged and he choked out, "Boss, I can explain that."

Four pairs of eyes turned to look at the bleached blonde.

"I needed to talk to her and so I came in. Then I dropped off her newspaper and made her coffee, which she dumped out. Then we talked, I fixed the door, and I left."

"When was this?" Grissom asked.

"About a week ago. See, I kind of made a mistake at work and I asked her advice on how to fix it." He smiled sheepishly.

The team shook their heads and got back to work.

* * *

_Fifteen Hours Missing._

Alexis was fatigued, but she didn't dare let herself fall asleep. She was certain that would be the end. They had taken her to use the restroom once, but she had the eerie sensation that she was being watched. Mike had returned only once to kiss her on the cheek. She had pulled away and was rewarded with a slap. She tried her best to comprehend how people could just sit still as a girl was tormented, but no answers came. Her hair was matted with sweat and she felt disgusting.

Mike stepped from behind a door looking well-rested. "I'm hungry. Who wants some grub?"

Simultaneous cheers erupted around the room. Beer bottles clinked together and men put out their cigarettes, rubbing their hands in anticipation. Mike set two boxes of large pizza on a makeshift table. The men jumped up and hurried to grab one of the crates they were using as chairs.

Mike tossed his gaze at Alexis. She was sitting just as still as she had all night. He climbed over the mob of men and stopped at her side. He placed his hand on the side of her face. "Scream, and I'll kill you." He tore the tape from her mouth and she did her best to let only a minimal gasp escape her lips. He cut the rope from her hands. "Don't try anything funny." He dropped a slice of pepperoni on her lap.

Never had oily pizza tasted so good. She gobbled the first half quickly, but slowed down for the second, savoring each bite. She decided early on that this was her new favorite meal. Beer Can offered her a bottle, and while she knew she shouldn't, she accepted it. The liquid, although she wasn't overly pleased with its taste, felt wonderful running down the back of her throat. She made sure not to overdo it; she didn't want to lose her head. It was going to take all of her wits to get out of this.

* * *

"The prints from the dumpster have been positively identified as belong to Michael Lovaria," Warrick said throwing the report onto the table.

"The ex-boyfriend?" asked Greg.

"Yeah, and the guy has a record a mile long. I'm surprised Nick didn't catch it," Warrick stated.

"My guess is he didn't do a background check. She probably complained that it was invading her privacy," Catherine mused.

"Have we located his house yet?" asked Grissom.

"You found the box of pictures at Lexi's house, but there are so many, Nick and Sara haven't picked out one of him yet. They're still looking," Brass said.

"Well now that we know who he is, you can tell them to stop," said Greg.

Catherine shook her head. "It's probably best that they have something to do. I know I'd be going stir crazy doing nothing."

The others mumbled in agreement.

"Are we going out there?" Greg asked.

"Yes," Grissom responded.

"Hold on, guys. Fingerprints on a dumpster aren't enough to get a warrant. We're going to have to hope he lets us in voluntarily," said Brass.

"If she's there, fat chance of that," Warrick said.

* * *

_Seventeen Hours Missing._

Alcohol, Alexis learned first hand, does strange things to people when consumed in large amounts. Today would probably be the only day she ever felt more comfortable being around people who were unmistakably wasted. The men were falling all over each other only to get to the next pack of beer.

She had finished her pizza awhile ago and was searching her surroundings for a way to get out. There were a few windows, but she'd have to break the glass and didn't want to risk getting cut. The house was filthy enough that she knew she'd get an infection. She could try and sneak out the door, but one of the men was likely to hear. She knew from television that a drunken man's wrath was worse than a sober one and didn't want to know how strength fit into that equation.

Cigar Face, who Alexis had heard was called Willy, excused himself from the table. He was going out back to the outhouse. An idea slithered into her head and she was careful to not look excited. She knelt down and felt the ground under the chair. Broken glass littered the floor. She grabbed a medium-sized piece, wrapped it in newspaper, and shoved it into her pocket. She jumped back into the chair when Willy came back through the door, zipping up his fly.

She strolled over to Mike and tapped him on the shoulder. He grinned up at her, eyes bloodshot.

"I don't mean to bother you," she said, "but I really, really need to use the restroom." She crossed her legs and did a little dance for effect.

"Zack, Mitch, take her out. But you see she comes back," he slurred.

Each man took one of her arms to lead her out back, but she was the one that kept them walking in a straight line. They gave her a push into the outhouse and slammed the door. Through the cracks in the rotting wood, she could see that one of them was standing next to the door, but the other was by the bushes, no doubt puking. She reached into her pocket and carefully removed the wrapped glass. She didn't think she'd actually have to use it; it was just a precaution. She made sure her shoes were tied and bent her knees.

She took a deep breath before yelling, "Okay, I'm ready."

The door flew open and she saw this as her opportunity. She leapt from the outhouse and made a run for the line of trees. One of the men grasped at her arm, but missed. She kept on running and didn't look back.

* * *

Brass knocked on the door for the third time. There was a lot of noise coming from the house and no one heard him. Finally, a pot-bellied man sucking on a beer bottle came to the door.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" he asked. "Oh, and ladies," he added noticing Catherine and Sofia.

"We're looking for Michael Lovaria or Alexis Stokes," Brass said, holding up photos of both people.

The man pointed at the picture of Michael. "Hey, look, boys, it's Mike."

"So you know him?" Warrick questioned.

"Of course I know him. Everyone knows Mike."

"Is he here?" Grissom asked.

"Nope, sorry, he's not. He had a present engagement that required his attention." The man laughed at his own words.

Brass held up Lexi's picture. "What about the girl?"

"She was real pretty," a man in the background said.

Brass took a step further. "Was?"

"Yeah. She was here earlier, but then she left."

"Left?" said Sofia.

"She's a sneaky girl," the man at the door said. "Got away while we was taking her to the bathroom. Didn't make Mike very happy, did it boys?"

"Naw, it didn't," another man chimed at. "That's where he's at now. He swore he'd bring her back and then she was gonna git it. Took Skinny and Pete with him."

The team stood on the step, mesmerized by the occupants. They couldn't believe the men would give up so much information willingly. But then, Catherine thought, alcohol did make people more susceptible to spill their guts. The group turned around and headed back to their vehicles.

"Okay," Grissom said, "she's out there somewhere running for her life. We've got to get to her before Mike and the other two do. Split up, but keep your radios. I'm calling for backup."

* * *

**Please review.**


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